Alex's review: Expert freerider

"Easy float, let me hike, surf and play any terrain. I don't like a powder board to be too flexible, because I want to lay some trenches on the groomers too. When the snow starts falling in the evening, I get happily nervous for the next day."

A comfortable board for intermediates and freestylers

The Bataleon Omni is a snowboard where i can simply ride a slope with. As a freestyle board, the Omni doesn't give the things I am looking for in a snowboard. Therefor it is impossible to get a high rating from me. The Omni doesn't give problems anywhere and will get you down on the piste to get the lift. The Omni lets you ride it on the edge and make nice small flexible turns. Not in the deep high power carving sense though. This board is not made for longer turns at high speed. It is fine for relaxed, comfortable snowboarding and playing around. And less in qualities as grip, stability, speed, power, pop etc.

Playful and flexible

It is playful and don't put too much power in your carve as it won't hold. Basically you don't get anything back in the sense of a pop or an accelaration. It would go to far for me to say it is an all-mountain snowboard. For that it is too playful and flexible and because of that too limited in other disciplines. The Omni might hold better in deep bottomless powder, but I haven't had the chance to test the backcountry with it. Still on my to-do list and after the powder test I shall suplement the review and reconsider my rating.

Shape of the bottom

The shape of the Bataleon bottom, with three length-wise parts that give it a bit of a bowl shape, makes switching edges easy. On one hand that is comfortable, on the other hand what do you do from there? Once you are on the edge, I want to feel the grip that challenges to get the maximum out of the turn. It feels to me that the bottom shape of the Omni limits the possibilities of carving sensation. For freestyle and freeriding powder I can imagine it is nice though.

Bataleon about the Omni

"Omni is the Latin prefix for all or every, but the Omni for us is a freeride cruiser for all conditions and every mountain thanks to its directional shape and medium flex. It's thee-way weave of tri-axial fiberglass bears utmost precision and control from tip to tail and edge to edge. The hardwood stringers of the Reactor Core along the sidewall promote drawn out carves and full rail stability at speed. Our Freeride 3BT shaping has a narrow centerbase, which promotes swift edge transfer and velvety turns. The setback 3BT shaping, combined with optional Backseat Inserts puts you in the driver seat on deep days, too.", says Bataleon. That to me is just a bit too much. It is a fine snowboard though, very comfortable. Bataleon has given the freeride aspect more emphasis, what suits my experience.